Folding cradle and rocker



May 28, 1957 M. H, DOUD FOLDING CRADLE AND HOOKER Filed Sept. 2l. 1954 T mm .9 my# 0 F H y w Lfy MS# 5/ W 4A. lwH S m, 3 m. INLIII F 9 2 D n United States Patent O FOLDING CRADLE AND ROCKER Mary Hazel Doud, Alameda, Calif.

Application September 21, 1954, Serial No. 457,342

3 Claims. (Cl. 5-102) This invention relates to improvements in a combined folding cradle and rocker.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a portable cradle which can also be set up and connected to a source of current so that the same becomes an automatic rocking cradle.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is compact, easy to assemble and neat in appearance.

A further object is to produce a device wherein a child will be gently rocked continuously without the attention of an attendant.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numbers are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of my device;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the device in folded position.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detailed view showing the pivotal connection between the hanger and the standard.

It often occurs that in order for a mother of a small child to attend various functions, such as card parties, lectures, classes, etc., that it is necessary to take her infant with her, and in order to provide for the comfort of the infant, I have devised a portable cradle in which the infant may be laid and gently rocked without attention from its mother.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numerals 5 and 6 designate two traylike receptacles which are hinged together as shown at 7 so that the two may be folded together as shown in Fig. 4. Each section has a handle as shown at 8 and each has a slot formed in the bottom of each tray section and remote from the hinges as shown at 9.

Pivoted to the tray 5 is a V-shaped hanger member 11 having a pivot 12 adapted to engage an upper standard section 13 which is in turn telescopically secured to the top of the standard 14, which standard extends through the slot 9 in the tray 5.

A similar pipe standard 16 extends through the slot 9 in the tray 6 and is secured to an upper. support 17 from which is suspended a hanger member 18 which is similar to the hanger member 11.

The standard section 17 has a housing 19 in which is secured a motor not shown, which in turn drives an adjustable eccentric 21 to which is connected a connecting link 22, which is in turn pivotally connected to the hanger member 18 as at 23. The standards 14 and 16 have their lower ends secured to fittings 24 and 26 respectively, which fittings are in turn connected by a collapsible rod 27. Base plates 28 and 29 connected to the ttings 24 and 26 respectively serve to support the entire mechanism.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I provide a latch 31 which serves to hold the trays 5 and 6 inopen position.

'Ihe result of this construction is that when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, a pillow may be laid upon the opened trays and an infant placed upon Patented May 2s, 1951 'ice the pillow. When the electric motor is attached to a source of energy, rotation of the eccentric 21 will cause the link 22 to pull upon the frame 18 and rock the entire tray structure and .the baby positioned thereon.

When it is desired to close the device, the standards 14 and 16 are removed, the fittings 24 and 26, 28 and 29 and the cross rod 27 are all disassembled and the hanger members 18 and 11 are folded downwardly into the trays as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the other parts distributed into the trays, after which the latch 31 is released and the two trays may be folded into the position shown in Fig. 4. Thus it will be apparent that my device may be quickly transported and assembled and that the child positioned therein will be comfortable and contented through the rocking of the cradle.

It is of course understood that the unit which operates the cradle can be used for swings, beds and other similar devices.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the material, size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having .thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A folding cradle comprising a pair of trays pivoted one to the other, which when moved into parallel position, form a closed receptacle and when swung to open position, form a supporting cradle-like structure, each of said trays having an opening therethrough, a pivoted hanger secured to each of said trays at its remote end when in open position, and vertically arranged standards connected to each of said hangers and extending downwardly through said openings in said trays to a supporting structure.

2. A folding cradle comprising a pair of trays pivoted one .to the other, which when moved into parallel position, form a closed receptacle and when swung to open position, form a supporting cradle-like structure, each of said trays having an opening therethrough, a pivoted hanger secured to each of said trays at its remote end when in open position, and vertically arranged standards connected to each of said hangers and extending downwardly through said openings in said trays to a supporting structure, a housing secured to one of said standards, a motor secured in said housing and a link connected to said motor and one end of said hangers adjacent Ito said housing for transmitting reciprocating motion between said motor and said one of said hangers when said motor is energized.

3. In a device of the character described a pair of trays hinged one to the other and adapted to be moved into horizontal alignment to form a supporting surface, a hanger pivotally mounted in each of said trays at a point remote from their hinged connection, said hangers when moved to right angles with respect to said trays forming pivotal supports, supporting members pivotally connected to said hangers, said supporting members extending through slots formed in said trays and means for rocking said trays on said pivots between the supporting members and the hangers.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 22,056 Ball Nov. 16, 1858 250,614 Wilbur Dec. 6, 1881 418,093 l Wainwright Dec. 24, 1889 497,751 Clemens May 16, 1893 812,387 Wertz Feb. 13, 1906 1,918,241 Bellavia July 18, 1933 

